Salkantay to Machu Picchu 5 day/4 night Trek

Fast becoming the most popular backpacker alternative to the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, the Salkantay is definitely something different. Named after one of the magnificent giant peaks you will see during the trek, the 5 days of the Salkantay hike will get you away from the crowds which trek the Inca Trail. You will also visit little known Inca sites and ascend to an altitude of 4,600 meters. Some are calling this one of the greatest treks on the continent with the added feature of Machu Picchu awaiting you at the end of the trail.

Start: Cuzco Finish: CuzcoFrequency: Daily DeparturesMinimum No. of People: 1 Duration: 5 days Suitability: for anyone with an average - good level of fitness and mobility. This tour takes place at altitude and does require you to carry some of your own belongings.

Note 1: It is best to arrive to Cusco a couple of days before departure to acclimatise to the altitude. You will need to arrive by at least 05:30pm the day before the trip to attend a pre-departure briefing.

BOOKING NOTES

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u$s490.00

Trip route

If you're planning on travelling to the historic South American Inca city of Machu Picchu, why not get there by hiking the Salkantay trail? This will take the experience to a whole new level. An incredible adventure like this allows travellers to experience both the culture and mysticism of the Peruvian people. The Salkantay trek takes place at the very top of the Salkantay Mountains, where the nature is breathtaking and the icy mountains eventually collide with a steamy jungle. While hiking you will be surrounded on every side by the magnificent Andes all the way to Machu Picchu.

The Machu Picchu National Park is one of the most desirable hiking spots in the world and the Salkantay Trek offers many different kinds of geography and historical points of interest, as well as Andean culture. As part of this trek you will be hiking the Cordillera Vilcanota mountain range, which has two of the highest and most beautiful peaks in the Americas. Along the way you will also enjoy Cocalmayuc Hot Springs, which is in the midst of a forest and all of this is within just 50 kilometers.

Itinerary

Day 1: From Cusco to Mollepata and onto Soraypampa

The day starts at 4:30 a.m. when we arrive at your hotel to pick you up for the bus ride to Mollepata, a quaint Andean village. We will hike to Markokasa, where we will dine on lunch while overlooking a sweeping view of Soraypampa Valley. This is where we?ll spot the Salkantay Mountains for the first time, which is where the first campsite on our trek will be. Once we finish lunch we'll make our way to Humantay Lake to take photos, and then return to Soraypampa where we will camp for the night. At 4,000m (or 12,750ft.) this is the coldest night of the trip because of Soraypampa's high altitude.

Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: From Soraypampa to Huayracpunku and onto Collpampa

Our day will begin with a nice hot breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and from there we will walk as a group to a height of 4,650m (or 15,200ft). This is the highest pass on our trek, which goes between the Humantay (at 4,120m or 13,500ft) on our left and the Salkantay on our right (at 6,271m or 20,575ft), both giant mountains. Depending on the time of year there may be snow on the pass. The views of both these snow capped mountains are nothing if not spectacular, so we will be conducting a small ceremony.

The ceremony is called the 'Payment to the Earth,' also referred to as 'Pachamama' or 'Jaywarikuy.' The ritual involves us leaving some coca leaves in and around the rocks to pay homage to Mother Earth while asking her blessing for us to continue on our way and have an incredible journey.

Our morning walk will be a little easier as we will now be going downhill through a magnificent cloud forest, arriving in Huayracpunku in time for lunch, after which we will proceed towards the jungle. We will arrive at Colcapampa, which is where we will camp for the night (at 3,000m or 9,800ft). We could also choose to camp for the night at Challway, which follows the Salkantay River. This location offers a magnificent Andean vista right where we would set up camp (at approximately 2,900m.).

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: From Collpampa to La Playa to Lucmabamba and onto Santa Teresa

The day begins with breakfast at 6:30 a.m., after which we will proceed through a number of valleys. Along the way we will cross the Lluskamayo River and several small brooks where we will see all kinds of natural wonders, tropical fruit, waterfalls, beautiful birds and a variety of lush greenery. Here, the weather is usually quite warm, which makes the hike a bit less strenuous. While making our way to Santa Teresa we'll enjoy lunch and more gorgeous scenery.

In time we'll reach Santa Teresa, our next campsite, where we'll catch our breath, have some snacks and spend a little time recuperating. While there we can visit and enjoy the hot springs, which can be very relaxing after having spent the entire day walking!

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: From Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica and onto Machu Picchu Pueblo

Once we have breakfast we will walk on the trail to Hidroelectrica, which should take us about 3 hours. Along the way we will visit Mandorpampa, a fascinating old coffee plantation, enter another cloud forest, walk along the river for an hour and a half, when we'll come upon the waterfalls of Hidroelectrica. These waterfalls are about 12m high and fed from the waters melting off sacred Mount Yanantin.

From the waterfalls of Hidroelectrica, we'll follow the trail to the ridge, where we'll find ourselves surrounded by lush vegetation. This area is simply a gorgeous sweeping landscape filled with various avocado, banana and coffee plantations. While exploring all of this we will see hundreds of bird species and butterflies, natural to this region. We may also spot a spectacled bear or two, as this is a natural habitat of many different mammals. The forest is lush with many different kinds of flowers including bromeliads and some very rare orchids. We will eventually make our way to Machu Picchu Village or Aguas Calientes, where we will stay overnight in a nice warm hotel.

Optional excursion: You can enjoy an evening visit to Aguas Calientes Hot Springs. The ticket to gain entrance costs US $4.00.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: 'Sun Rise Tour' - A Full Day Touring Machu Picchu

After having breakfast at our hotel, we will leave on a 6:00 a.m. bus to Machu Picchu. Once we arrive we will have a 2-hour walking tour of the city with our own private guide. You can then spend the rest of the day exploring this mystical city on your own.

In late afternoon, we will catch the train to Ollantaytambo and from there take a bus to Cusco, arriving at night.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Optional excursions: During your free time you can climb the sacred mountain of Huayna Picchu, which rises to 2,720m (or 8,890ft) or the sacred mountain of Machu Picchu, which rises to 3,100m (or 10,017ft.).

Sleeping bag (can be rented at pre-departure meeting $20 USD)Inflatable sleeping mattress Day 1 Breakfast Day 5 LunchTips for guides, cooks, horsemen.Bottled water (NOTE: you need to bring your own bottled water on the first day. You will have access to boiled water during the trek. We recommend bringing water purification tablets and an aluminium water bottle so you can drink water at any time during the trek).